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Appearing Sunday on "UPFRONT with Mike Gousha," Cross said he understands "their frustrations and their anger and their fear."

Faculty senate members on UW campuses in Madison, Milwaukee, LaCrosse, Green Bay and River Falls have approved "no confidence" resolutions in recent weeks. Some faculty members, unhappy over state budget cuts and changes made to tenure, have said they are trying to send a message to system leaders.

Gousha asked Cross to respond to a newspaper editorial that said Cross has been a "weak advocate" for the system and its students.

"I say I've been a different advocate," Cross said. "I'm trying to work with leaders, with decision-makers behind the scenes.

"I think we have to do more publicly, I accept the criticism, I really do," Cross said.

Gov. Scott Walker and some prominent Republican lawmakers have been critical of the faculty on Twitter, and some faculty members have responded to them on social media.

"This war of words between parties, between the faculty, the legislature and the governor, this war of words is not advancing the university," he said. "The state of Wisconsin badly needs the university in order to prepare it for the future. That's part of our challenge."

Cross said he is asking faculty members not to "disengage," that the system needs faculty, staff and students to work together for its future.

Delavan businessman Paul Nehlen, who is challenging House Speaker Paul Ryan, (R-Janesville), in the 1st Congressional District, said he is not at all discouraged by a recent poll showing him badly trailing Ryan ahead of the August primary.

The poll from the Remington Research Group showed Ryan ahead by 64 points.

"I'm thrilled with those numbers," Nehlen said. "I've got over four thousand donors, in four weeks I went to fifteen percent, and we've got roughly thirteen weeks to go, so imagine where we'll be at the end of this."

Nehlen criticized Ryan for his support of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, and called him a "career politician."

"I know about business and about trade. I've made payrolls. Paul Ryan has driven the Weinermobile," Nehlen said.

Also on "UPFRONT," ABC News Political Director Rick Klein said Ryan's recent meeting with likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is a sign of the "power Paul Ryan holds at this moment."

"This could be the biggest moment of his young career as House speaker," Klein said. "He holds the keys to the kingdom for the Republican party that is trying to unite. There is no single human being out there, not even the former candidates, who can do more to unite the party behind Donald Trump than Paul Ryan. That's how big his credibility is, that's how big his influence is."